In the Comfort of Darkness
by a.c.ryder
Summary: Beth has a nightmare. Daryl comforts her.


A/N: So, yea, I have no idea where this story came from, but i hope you enjoy it. It's pure fluff, like really fluffy, you've been warned. :)) enjoy!

* * *

Beth shot up, certain her screaming would bring every walker within 20 miles to their gates. But no sound had escaped her, and it took her a moment to even gasp a ragged breath. A fucking nightmare. Wasn't she too old for this shit? With the dead walking around, how could she still be afraid of anything? Falling back to her pillow she tried to breathe, to relax, to settle into the softness of the mattress and be engulfed once more in sleep.

But no, that just wasn't in the cards tonight. Softly her feet touched the carpeted floor and she walked to her door. Rick and Michonne were on watch at the gate, Carl was sleeping soundly if the snoring was anything to go by. Daryl is always telling her if she needs anything to come to him, but she's pretty sure this wasn't what he meant. When she cracked his door open, she was actually surprised to find him asleep.

Even when it was just the two of them, Beth rarely caught sight of a sleeping Daryl. She knows he must've slept, she just doesn't know how or when. Every time she saw him he was awake and alert and ready to defend them if needed. But here, his eyes are closed and the sheet only covers the lower half of his body. The t-shirt hugs his muscled torso and his hair is pushed back revealing his facial features. And his face, in sleep he looks so young, almost boyish with an innocence revealed only in such vulnerability. He's the picture of peace and she shouldn't be here, she couldn't help but feel that she's invading his space and seeing something she wasn't meant to see.

The floor creaks as she turns around and tries to make her way to the door. She hears his intake of breath and knows she woke him.

"Beth? S'wrong?" he mumbles thickly and she cracks at the sound of his gruff voice.

"Nothing, go back to sleep Daryl. I'm sorry I woke you." She turns again to leave.

"S'too late now. What's wrong, girl?"

She tears up, "I just…had a bad dream…"

He doesn't speak, just pulls the sheet back as he scoots over to make room for her. She thinks he might be joking, or mocking her and a part of her thinks she shouldn't do it, but she's exhausted and he's there and they're together again. And she doesn't feel guilty or awkward climbing into the bed of older man, sighing in relief as he folds his body around her, like a child curling themselves around a stuffed animal or security blanket.

Then she couldn't get the image out of her mind. Daryl as a little boy sleeping with a stuffed animal. It contrasted the reality of his childhood, knowing by the scars on his back that he hadn't been protected. And that thought makes her sad and angry, and she thinks of her own father and wonders if Daryl had a father like hers, would he be the man he is today? Would he be able to survive and hunt the way he does if he wasn't forced to?

She shivers and pulls Daryl's arms tighter around like a blanket. He responds in kind, tightening his hold and making her feel the safest she's felt in years.

"Did you ever have a stuffed animal, Daryl?" she asks.

Silence. And she's not surprised, she can imagine the confused look on his face, or that his eyes are rolling in the back of his head. But it's dark, and Beth knows that Daryl will talk in the dark, whisper secrets and stories that are swallowed in the thick black of night, revealing his vulnerability but never really letting anyone see it at the same time. She remembers the moonshine shack, remembers that he opened up and told her a piece of his past without her even asking him to.

"Once…" he replies, and the sound of his voice almost startles her, "The hospital sent me home with this light blue little puppy dog…softest thing I ever touched. My Ma gave it to me when I's a little older, told me to keep it hidden from my old man and Merle. And I did…" The corners of her mouth pull into a small smile at the image.

"What happened to it?"

"Burned up with my mama and that house."

She brings the back of his hand to her mouth and places a small kiss there, "I'm so sorry Daryl."

She feels him shrug behind her, "Did you have one?"

She nodded, "A stuffed horse, and a teddy bear. Maggie told me they'd keep me safe while I slept. The bear would fight off any monsters, and the horse would carry me away from danger."

His arms squeezed her even tighter, "You got me now, girl…"

All she could do was smile, running her fingertips along his forearm. She doesn't know why it's so easy between them, maybe it's only because of their time alone after the prison. She couldn't count how many times she wished Daryl would have held her like this in those early days after her father was murdered. She understands why he couldn't do it then, but she's eternally grateful he can do it now.

"I'm sorry I woke you up. You do so much and work harder than anyone and you deserve your rest."

"Quit apologizin,"

She nodded in understanding, settling down in his embrace as silence overtook them.

She'd never spoken to anyone about her time at Grady. They all questioned her, but she could just never tell the people she loved what happened there. It changed her and that was enough. She didn't want it to change the way they saw her.

"His name was Gorman," she said, hardly above a whisper. He didn't say anything, but his body instantly tensed around her, "he was a guard at the hospital. He used the girl's there in any way he wanted and Dawn let him and others get away with it. He never got that far with me, but there were times…if I stayed there too much longer he would've…" she paused for a breath, fighting her tears.

"I still see him. Sometimes, I can feel him still watching me, just waiting. Joan killed herself in his office and she turned, taking Gorman out with her. But sometimes in my nightmares she doesn't turn in time. Or she does but she bites me instead. Then there was O'Donnell, Dawn…I pushed him down an elevator shaft to stop him from hurting a woman I hated."

"Ya got out, Beth. Y'ain't there anymore."

"I know, but the nightmares are so real, Daryl. I still killed people, _living_ people and…"

She rolled over, burying her face in his chest as his hands moved in slow circles up and down her back. She'd been suppressing her tears too long, and once she started she couldn't seem to stop it. But Daryl was ever patient, not whispering about how _everything will be ok_ or some such nonsense. He was exactly what she needed, a solid rock that held her while she fell apart. He didn't say anything, but then he didn't have to. She did what they all would've done, what they have already done – survive.

"Why didn't you tell anyone about these nightmares?" he asked when her breathing evened out.

"Seemed kinda pointless. Everyone is busy with keeping everyone else safe and alive and I just didn't want to be a burden." His hands found their way to her hair, and he pulled back, pressing his forehead to hers.

"We care about you, Beth. Ain't no one thinks yer a burden." She froze as his lips kissed her forehead, "Anytime you have a nightmare, come to me, wherever I am…I'll be your teddy bear…"

Beth couldn't suppress her giggle, and apparently, neither could Daryl. Those were the sweetest words anyone has ever said to her. She wanted to say them back, to tell him he was safe with her and she would guard his heart with as much tenacity as she guards her own. But she kept those words to herself, certain he didn't want to hear them.

"Thanks, Daryl."

"Close your eyes, girl. I gotchu."

And with a smile, she did exactly that.

* * *

It was still dark when Rick and Michonne got home, and as always, Rick opened every door to check on his sleeping family. When he found Beth's room empty he felt a shot of panic surge through him. The last door to check was Daryl's room and he was almost positive she wouldn't be in there. But to his complete amazement, there was Beth, lying along side Daryl and completely engulfed in his arms. Even more shocking was how soundly Daryl appeared to be sleeping. Rick had started to close the door when Daryl's eyes opened.

"She had a bad dream…" he said quietly. Rick just nodded.

"Glad you were here for her…" with that Daryl closed his eyes and Rick closed the door. Michonne was already in bed waiting for him.

"Hey, everything ok?"

"Yea, everything's fine. Perfect."

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A/N: Again I hope you enjoyed it! I've no idea where this story came from, but I decided to post it as a one shot. Feel free to review! Thank you for reading!


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